The Girl in the Computer
by Orishte
Summary: You never know what may bring friends together, or what may be hiding in a brand new computer. . . -I don't own Code Lyoko. Just write tons of stories about it.-
1. Chapter 1

-**The Girl in the Computer**-

**Chapter 1:**

Jeremie Belpois stood in the middle of his dorm room at Kadic Academy, with a satisfied smirk on his face.

He couldn't help it.

His eyes swept over the dark silhouette of machine again and again.

It was two in the morning and the fifteen-year-old blonde curled his hands into fists to try and suppress the urge of touching such a beautiful piece of equipment.

"No," he told himself. "No, I'll turn it on tomorrow."

With great hesitation and still more of the greatest amount of self-control, he forced himself to return to his bed. He climbed in the covers and laid his head back on his pillow. Concentrating hard on his task, it hadn't even occurred to him to remove his glasses.

He saw his temptation, calling him from an unreachable distance at his bed.

"Tomorrow," he repeated firmly.

Firmly or not, his eyes were only closed a moment when, before he knew it, he was out of the covers, three steps across the room, swinging around in his computer chair, and pushing the button to bring the 'beautiful' technology purring to life.

Tomorrow just wouldn't do.

They hadn't been kidding when they said this model was fast. It was only a matter of seconds before the startup procedures were bypassed and the computer was fully functional and ready for Jeremie to take the controls.

He paused for a moment, relishing the feeling. Idly he reached a hand up to stoke his fingers across the silver letting on the side. It was barely caught in the glow of the screen and Jeremie whispered the illuminated name out loud:

"Lyoko." He smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Well let's see what you've got under the hood, my friend."

It took him less than a half-hour to become fully adapted to all the new software, not to mention organizing it to his satisfaction. Though he was impressed with some of the major functions the computer was capable of -he had never seen such power in any computer before- it was nothing new to the young boy who had spent hours upon hour researching it all.

He was glad to have what he called the "getting acquainted" stage, over and done with. Now with the reins fully in his power, Jeremie could move on to what he was really after.

There was so much they didn't tell you in manuals.

As with any new piece of technology, Jeremie couldn't wait to dive right in and pull it apart. There is no euphoria in the world like dissecting the inner workings of a computer. Not just acquainting yourself with its processes and functions, but separating and analyzing how each process and function is, exists, runs. Every component that makes them what they are. It wasn't enough to know his computer was capable of great power; Jeremie had to know where and how such power was derived; how every element of his computer made it possible.

By the end of the week Jeremie would be more than capable of rebuilding this computer if he wanted to.

Fingers flying over the keys, it wasn't long before Jeremie was neck-deep in data.

And that was when it happened. When stumbled across something that caught his eye. A file to be exact.

It was an obscure file. Placed so far back Jeremie had almost missed it. But it was in front of him now, and sticking out like a sore thumb.

"Carthridge Towers?" Jeremie murmured, a small frown creasing his face. He had never heard of it.

Curious, Jeremie clicked to open the file.

"That's. . . _weird_." Jeremie felt a slight shiver go down his spine.

What was an unknown, deleted file doing on his brand new computer?

It was like living alone and finding a muddy footprint in your house you know you didn't make. Who in the world had been in his computer?

Had the company really sent him a used model? Or developed some function for the computer, only to take it away?

Jeremie pursed his lips. The very thought of it made him incensed. How dare they send him a machine that still had traces of superfluous data on it!

"_Well_," he though "_it's not going to be just traces for long._"

Whatever the circumstances, there the file was. And if they thought deleting it was going to stop him from finding out what was inside, they had another thing coming.

Easing back into a more comfortable position in his chair, Jeremie immediately started the process of restoring the lost file. A few minutes in was when the little flags started going up in the back of his mind.

Since when did deleted files have such complex encryption codes attached? It was like someone had gone in and set up walls of jumbled data to prevent anyone else from breaking through.

Jeremie wasn't just _anyone_ though. In the span of hours, he had it down in two.

Jeremie had never felt this kind of challenge and excitement in a deciphering code before.

"_Well,"_ he amended with some embarrassment, not since the time he had hacked into airport control to bump his parents flight up that one time.

In his defense, he really _had_ missed them. That being his first time left behind for vacation and all.

He had only been an amateur hacker then. Not only did he set off the alarms of the airport's built-in security system, he had also left a messy trail leading straight to his CPU at home. Needless to say he had got in some hot water over that one.

The authorities of course didn't even think a ten-year-old was capable of something like that.

The poor babysitter.

She never sat for his parents again after that.

Naturally his parents, knowing full well the capabilities of their son, had had a long talk with him on the subject latter; explaining that what he had been attempting to do was illegal and so forth. They said when people put up security measures, there was generally a good reason behind them.

The memory made him wonder about the file he was breaking into right now. The file someone had put such obviously great effort into protecting.

Jeremie dismissed the notion. Despite how much he was enjoying himself, it couldn't be illegal. It was after all on _his_ computer, right?

A message box appeared:

_File Name: Carthridge Towers, has been restored._

Jeremie smiled.

With an amused chuckle he clicked on the file again. This time a window popped up:

_The Project: Carthridge Towers, has been disconnected. Do you wish to connect?_

And that was the moment when the flags in Jeremie's mind turned red and really started flying. All pleasure was lost and instantly replaced with anxious suspicion.

Project? Connect? Connect to what? What was this?

He swallowed nervously just thinking of the possibilities. But he couldn't chicken out now. Despite the danger to his computer in connecting to. . Well, whatever it was. He had to continue. He had to find out. Pushing his glasses up further on his nose, he gripped the mouse and slowly moved the cursor over the option "yes" and made himself click.

Another window appeared.

_Please Enter the Code:__

Jeremie let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair.

Code? What could the code be?

The possibilities of any code were innumerable. Maybe in another month he come up with something. . or other.

He really didn't want to wait a month.

Jeremie removed his glasses and wiped the moisture from around his eyes and forehead. In replacing them, he found his eyes again scanning across the silver lettering on the side of the CPU. It shimmered down at him like a beacon.

"No," he scoffed. "That's far too simple."

Too simple or not, likely or not. . He found his fingers itched, just to try it. Call it a hunch or even intuition if you will. It just seemed right.

_Code: __

The bar after the word still blinked back at him.

_Lyoko__

-Jeremie entered, and held his breath as he hit the ENTER key. The widow he had been on disappeared for a moment processing, then reappeared.

_Code Confirmed. Please wait while the connection is being established._

Jeremie jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

No way. . .

His success was short lived however. The bar, showing his time until completion, abruptly stopped and a screen popped up with a large red error sign on it.

Before Jeremie could react, another screen came up -a much larger one this time- and held astonishingly the face of a girl looking back at him.

Jeremie was so startled he nearly fell out of his chair.

"Wha-. ."

He was, for lack of a better expression, completely star struck. As unexpected as having a window pop up with a girl in it was. . . He really couldn't spare much thought over it. Despite being perceptibly digital, the girl had the most beautiful face Jeremie had ever seen. So beautiful in fact, Jeremie swore for a moment he must be looking into the eyes of an angel.

An angel, apparently, with a very cold and calculating manner.

"**THE PROJECT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCSESS IS ****RESTRICTED**."

"W-what," Jeremie stuttered. The harshness of her voice seemed such a stark disparity to her features.

"**THE PROJECT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCESS IS RESTRICTED**," she repeated, her tone just as frigid and biting as before.

"Who-What are you?"

Her expression softened somewhat at this query. But not much.

"**I AM YOUR SELF-HELP ADVISOR. I WILL BE SEEING TO ALL YOUR CONCERNS, NEEDS, ETCETERA CONCERNING THIS MACHINE**."

There had been nothing about a self-help advisor in the _manual_. . .

"Well I don't need any help. But, uh. . thank you."

A digital computer program probably didn't need his thanks, but for some reason it slipped foolishly from his lips anyway.

"**VERY WELL, I SHALL CLOSE DOWN NOW. CALL AGAIN IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE**."

"Ok_._" replied the still some what incredulous Jeremie. Then he thought of something. "No wait! Maybe you _can_ help me."

The girl stopped and turned back to look him.

"**YES**?"

"About that project I was trying to-"

Her vibrant green eyes suddenly flashed. They made quite a stunning contrast to the soft pink hair framing her face.

"**THE PROJECT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCESS IS ****RESTRICTED**."

"The Carth-"

"**IS ****RESTRICTED**."

"What do you mean it's re-"

"**THE PROJECT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCESS IS ****RESTRICTED**."

"But-"

"**IS ****RESTRICTED**."

Ok, that was getting a little annoying. . .

Fast. Especially around five in the morning with no sleep.

"I know it's restricted," said Jeremie, slowly annunciating. "I want to know _why_?"

"**THE PROJECT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCESS IS**-"

"I know, restricted, but-"

"**ALLOW ME TO DIRECT YOU TO THE MAIN SCREEN**."

"What? I don't want to go to the main screen, I want in the-"

"**IF YOU PRESS THE KEY BELOW, IT WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE MAIN SCREEN**."

"I'm not going to the main screen!"

The digital girl seemed taken aback by the elevated level of his voice and Jeremie quickly attempted to calm himself. He shouldn't of lost his temper like that. This was only a computer program he was dealing with after all.

"**YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE STEPS TO THE MAIN SCREEN**."

"Right," he confirmed.

"**I AM CURRENTLY RUNNING IN **_**BASIS MODE**_**. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTION IN **_**BASUC MODE**_**, PERHAPS IT IS UNWISE FOR YOU TO BE HANDLING THIS MACHINE ENTIRELY**."

Instead of being incensed by this comment, as many who understood it's implications might have been, something about it just stuck him in an off kind of way. A computer program that was insulting? Not only insulting, but insulting him directly."

"Excuse me?"

"**PERHAPS IT IS UNWISE FOR YOU TO BE HANDLING THIS MACHINE**."

Jeremie dropped his head for a moment thinking. It just didn't sound right. He raised his eyes again and jumped slightly to find her head bent directly to his level, looking straight at him.

"**SHALL I ASSIST IN SHUTTING THE MACHINE DOWN**?"

As sort of an experiment, Jeremie moved his head slowly to the right of the screen and then to the left; her eyes following the movement exactly.

She could _SEE_ him!

"What are you?" He asked for the second time, not at all sure if he really wanted to know.

"**I AM YOUR SELF-HEL**-"

"No you not," Jeremie spoke in absolute conviction. "There is no self-help advisor. My manual lists no such function. You're just trying to stop me from accessing that program aren't you?"

"**THAT PROGRAM IS ****RESTRICTED**."

"Well I own this computer now and I say it's not restricted. And I'm going to access it, with or without you trying to stop me."

Jeremie managed to minimized her on the screen and started up the connection to the program again. He found it continuing from where it left off before the error sign. The one her coming had probably activated in the first place.

She was back in a flash. "**YOU MUST ****STOP****. I WILL NOT LET YOU CONNECT**."

Her hand came into the view of the monitor and as it rose webs of code came with it shooting out across the entire screen blocking his view.

Jeremie shook his head to avoid becoming overwhelmed by what he was seeing. Was this girl a computer program after all? How was she doing this?

"Stop, that's not important right now. Just concentrate on the code," he reminded himself. "She's only building walls. You only have to break through them. . _Yah, and probably freezing the connection to the Carthridge Program in the process_."

He let his eyes dance across the data, trying to discern a pattern. It actually wasn't as hard as he expected. A couple of minutes and he was through. The webs of figures disappeared revealing a very surprised face with a slightly singed pride behind it he imagined.

"Ready to move up from _'basic mode' _now?"

He had to open his mouth.

Closing her eyes in concentration, her hand rose again. And this time Jeremie notice the glowing ball of energy pulsing in the middle of her palm before she was again swept away from his sight.

The second string of codes was much more complicated and so cleverly crafted that Jeremie couldn't help but grudgingly admire her for it. It was a good half-hour before the data started clearing and he knew he couldn't let her do that to him again. He had to get back to the connection window.

It was going to be a long shot, but Jeremie had a plan.

As soon as she came back into view Jeremie quickly minimized her again and, though it was a little tricky, managed to lock the action in place, trapping her there.

Not for long of course. Just enough for him to get the connection widow for Carthridge towers open and running. As he had assumed, it was frozen in place.

Then he lost no time turning his full attention on the minimized part of his screen, throwing code as complexly and as quickly as he had ever done in his life in that direction. Anything to enforce the lock holding her.

It was to be a race against the clock. He didn't have to distract the digital being for long. Not, that with the limits of a human brain, he could of distracted her for long. He just hoped, prayed it would be long enough to establish the connection.

And against all odds, that's how it happened. She broke through with three seconds to spare and just barely had lifted her hand for the third time, only to have the connection bar make a touchdown behind her.

_Connection Established. Opening program now. . ._

She seemed to sense when it happened, for she lowered her hand and turned on Jeremie. Her once heavenly face twisted into something inhuman, suddenly screeching at him:

"**YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE ****DONE****. YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS WHEN**-"

And with that she was gone.

Everything was for that matter. Jeremie's entire screen flickered and then went black.

Would he pay for what he had done by having his new computer broken?

But no, just as the though crossed his mind a small glow started to appear in the middle of the screen. It grew larger, glowing brighter with color, until a face was revealed.

He was shocked to see it was the same face he had just left. For there, eyes closed, almost as if she were sleeping, was the pink haired, digital girl of before.

But somehow, the discovery didn't make him cringe. Somehow, the creature in front of him was different.

Call it a hunch or even intuition if you will. Somehow that thought just seemed right.

And, every so gradually, the lids of her eyes were opening. Her green orbs shone, wide and frightened, falling on him, piercing right through Jeremie's core.

Her trembling, delicate voice that cracked then, touched to the deepest part of his soul.

"Wh-where am I?"


	2. Chapter 2

_(NOTICE: Hey, I sorry for how wordy this story has been. I'm trying a new experiment. I'm making the writing style change with whatever character I'm talking about. So because I'm talking about Jeremie the wording is a bit complicated and hard to get through at this point. _

_He's the most complicated of the group. Sorry, but just be patient. You'll find things get simpler as we switch to other characters. _

_Can anyone guess who has the simplest writing style of the group?_

_**Thank you for you patience and hope you enjoy!**__~)_

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**Chapter 2: **

There were only five minutes before class started!

Jeremie's legs began to ache as he pushed himself across the last stretch of courtyard and finally through the main building doors. He paused for only a moment, gaining his bearings and barely allowing himself time to breathe, before starting off purposefully again toward the main hallway.

He had to confront him before the first bell rang; it was his _only_ hope.

It wasn't until the main hall was in sight and Jeremie was just about to turn the corner, that a sudden thought gave his stomach a halting lurch:

What if he said no?

Strangely, this possibility hadn't occurred to Jeremie. Something in his gut began to churn and, as he peered around the corner, he wondered nauseously why it had to occur to him now.

One look destroyed every rash hope he made in that moment. No, by some bizarre twist of fate, the boy in question wasn't missing. Jeremie could see him right where he always was around this time of morning, stationed idly by his locker.

Idly.

There was some comfort in that; at least he didn't seem busy. But Jeremie still found his head filled with lingering doubts:

What if he didn't listen? What if he didn't believe him? Worse. . . What if he laughed?

"_Why should that be worse_? _Why should you even care_," part of his mind asked. "_It doesn't matter, so stop it. There's nothing to be afraid of. He's merely a boy. A boy. A simple biologically, carbon-based, homosa. . ._"

He stopped. This line of reasoning was only wishful thinking on Jeremie's part and, deep down, he knew.

Though he'd never admit it, secretly he had always been a bit in awe of the person before him. Even the logical reasoning of his mind couldn't dispute that there was something. Something, even in just his presence that made Jeremie instantly feel he was somehow lacking.

Belittled. Inadequate.

Standing across the hall was a living example of someone who had everything in their life going right for them. Appearances, sports, _friends_. . . Why should he even care?

Then again, unlike the majority of the populars, he had always been fairly decent to Jeremie in the past. Jeremie winced to think of the names many of others had ridiculed him with.

And if there was anyone in the school that could help him, anyone he could trust. . .

"_This is so absurd_."

Yes, "absurd" was definitely the word. In retrospect, most would label the entire idea behind what he was preparing to do as an absurdity. Much less his actually following through with it.

But he had to follow through. He had to follow through for…

And that's when he had it. Suddenly through the clouds of uncertainty, his reason for doing all this shone through, hardening his resolve. Maya, he had to do this for Maya. If he didn't, if he failed. . . Jeremie shuddered, unable to imagine that gruesome end.

There in front of him were the simple facts. They grew forming his strength and his incentive. Maya was depending on him now, and he couldn't bear to let her down.

His slack posture straightened as he readied himself. He took in a deep breath and -with a noticeably tighter grip on the strap to his laptop case- boldly stumbled forward. And kept himself moving forward, for the greatest cause imaginable.

-

** ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

**U**lrich Stern, seemed surprised to suddenly find Jeremie standing behind him, but acknowledged the blonde nicely enough when he turned.

"Oh uh, hey there Belpois. What's up?"

"I- I have a huge problem. There's something I did-found and I. . ." His first few words had come out in a rush. Now he stopped, clenched his hands into fists, and swallowed; It was the moment of truth. "I . . . I _really_ need your help."

Ulrich raised his brow slightly at that. If he was surprised to have Jeremie openly approaching him, he was even more surprised to hear why. He stood there a moment, studying Jeremie thoughtfully before turning back to his locker.

It would have been hard for him to miss the younger boy's nervousness, or the beads of sweat running in small rivulets down his face.

It was still several seconds before he said anything though.

For Jeremie, it felt even longer. All he could do was shift his weight awkwardly as 'the popular' slowly took a book from his locker, fingered it, and slipped it into the green canvas bag slung across his chest.

"Jeremie Belpois, the smartest kid in school, asking for _my_ help?" The brunette sent Jeremie an incredulous look over his shoulder and smiled. "Honestly Belpois, you of all people should know just how great my test scores are." He paused, carefully extracted another book, and put it in his bag as well. "Why. . . Why don't you ask Herve or-er you know maybe Y-Yumi."

Jeremie noted the slight hesitation he used in saying the last name and tried his best to ignore it. "Herve, seriously? Very funny Stern... And if this was about school I would ask Yumi, but it's not. Please, I need your help. I'm- I'm in over my head."

Ulrich's messy hair fell in his face as he leaned forward to knock the door of his locker shut. He let out a deep sigh and muttered something intangible under his breath. When he faced Jeremie again, his arms were crossed, and had an expression that spoke impatience. "Alright, but you better make it quick Belpois or we're gonna to be late."

Relieved, Jeremie's eyes darted around the -almost completely vacant now- hall and leaned in closer. His voice was barely above a whisper as he said: "I think there's a girl trapped in my computer."

-

**~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

"**A **what?"

Surely he hadn't heard him right.

"A girl," Jeremie repeated.

Ulrich stood back and blinked; he was completely dumbfounded. "A girl?" he couldn't help but say again.

He watched as the smartest kid in Kadic Academy not only agreed, but continued:

"Yes, I don't know how she got there or why; perhaps it was a mistake. I don't think I was even supposed to be able to locate her file in the first place. It's one of those new smart-computers from Lyoko Incorporated. I was hacking into the mainframe of the. . ." Looking up, the genius paused and waved a hand. "Well never mind, you probably wouldn't understand. The point is she's there and now this other multi-agent program-"

"Whoa," Ulrich cut him off. "Slow down Jeremie, you're not making any sense."

A girl in his computer? What was that supposed to mean? And if the rest of what Jeremie was saying made sense, he didn't get it.

Of course it must of meant something. Jeremie wasn't in the habit of walking around saying useless babble. Unless of course you counted that one time he. . .

_Oh no._

"Jeremie," Ulrich said carefully. He waited until he was directly at eye level before asking and almost reached a sympathetic hand out to put on the other boy's shoulder. "Have you been near that faulty drink machine again?"

It was now Jeremie's turn to blink. He apparently hadn't been expecting the question and even seemed a little insulted by it. "I haven't been electrocuted Stern."

Maybe Ulrich had made him think though, because finally he seemed to realize how what he was saying sounded. Licking his dry lips in thought he added: "Listen, I know this sounds crazy, but it's all true - I swear. I can even show you!"

Maybe it wasn't the drink machine.

He didn't want to be rude and suggest Jeremie go have a little visit with Yolande in the infirmary, but something was obviously wrong. Ulrich didn't know what is was, but in any case he had to be firm. "Jeremie look, it's impossible for someone, a girl to be. . . That is-"

He was cut off by the warning bell ringing.

Jeremie's time was up. Maybe he could just get out of this by pointing that out. "Come on Jeremie, your times up. We have to get to class and-"

But Jeremie didn't stop.

"No wait, please! I have to finish," he begged, stepping into Ulrich's path. "Maya, the girl, she's in danger and I can't-"

Ulrich pushed past him.

"Jeremie stop. We're going to be late, so just come on."

The last bell was going to ring any minute; he didn't have time for this anymore. His voice was final.

Final, and probably had come off a lot harsher than he meant it to be.

He only made it two steps before he found himself stopping. His head dropped and he closed his eyes.

Did he have any choice? He couldn't just leave the kid standing there, could he?

"Listen," he mumbled, trying to find the right words. "If you still need my help _after_ class, you can talk to me later today, okay?

"Oh yah, like when?"

It was the tone of, more than the actual question itself, that made Ulrich halt again. But when he thought about it...

Oh. . . _right._

For a minute he'd forgotten. Could he after lunch? If he hurried he might be able to-

No.

Last class?

No.

Lights out?

Maybe.

"After lights out. Meet me in my-"

What about Odd?

"Your," he corrected. "Meet me in your room after lights out."

-

**~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

**H**alf-way down the hall to class, Ulrich still couldn't believe he had agreed to meet Jeremie later.

Jeremie had a problem and he shouldn't of agreed to help him. Of course, why someone as smart as Jeremie would want Ulrich's help in the first place, he couldn't imagine.

He sighed to himself thinking about it.

Did he just have one of those faces? What was it with kids and always thinking he could help solve their problems?

He _. . . _He was _so bad _at this kind of thing.

He shouldn't of said he'd meet him. He _should_ of sent him to Yumi.

But Jeremie had asked for his help, not Yumi's, and Ulrich grudgingly knew why he'd given in. It was the same reason he always seemed to cave into what Jeremie wanted:

Simply, Ulrich felt sorry for him.

At Kadic you're branded with a label when you walk in the door. As far as that went, Ulrich had it pretty easy in school. He was a _popular_. No one messed with 'the populars'. He was… on the top of the food chain so to speak.

But Jeremie. . . Jeremie wasn't exactly what you'd call in the _in crowd_.

In fact, poor kid, he probably couldn't lean more toward 'reject territory' if he tried.

Here was a boy that actually studied for tests, not to mention built miniature robots in his spare time.

He was mocked constantly by kids in class. People stole his papers, tripped him, called him names, and of course laughed whenever he said something they couldn't understand.

As weird as it sounded though, Ulrich kind of though they were jealous. Who wouldn't kill to have brains like Jeremie? He was smart, even if he was younger.

No, but that's what he meant. Jeremie was a whole year younger but still in the same grade as them. And the top of the class besides. School work was a breeze for him. He knew the answer to every problem and barely had to try to make everyone else look dumb.

"_Hmm. . ._"

Now that he thought about it, it was a wonder _more_ kids didn't hate Jeremie. Really, if Ulrich wasn't there to be nice to him, who else did he have that would be?

Other than, well, Yumi of course. Yumi didn't hate Jeremie. But then, Yumi_, _was another story completely.

"_Yumi._"

Ulrich had tried to stop his mind from turning this direction. He had managed to keep her out of his head most of the morning and really hated to think he was breaking down now.

But when it came to Jeremie, thoughts of her weren't really far off.

Yumi Ishiyama, was the kind of person that was a mystery on the social scale. She definitely wasn't a popular, but then she didn't exactly fall into reject territory either.

She was. . .

What was she exactly?

"The black sheep." "The lone wolf," he had, and still heard his friends call her.

Ok, she kind of was on her own a lot. But Ulrich still didn't think that labeled her. He didn't think she fit in a category at all.

Yumi _was_ nice to Jeremie Belpois, but in a different, better way than Ulrich was. She would actually take the time hung out with him.

He wanted to say it was because she felt sorry for him too, but there was more to it then that. With Jeremie, she seemed to genuinely like him.

Ulrich smiled.

And could care less what people thought about her for it too.

"_Then again_," he admitted to himself, "_she's unique_."

His smile faded as he reached his classroom.

"_Maybe too unique_."

"Ulrich!" someone called behind him. "There you are good buddy, I thought you might be lost."

Odd Della Robbia, Ulrich's roommate and one of the strangest people he had ever met, gave him a look of reproving fake-concern. "I was starting to get worried.

"Odd," Ulrich said, shaken from his thoughts. "What are you doing waiting in the hall? The bells going to ring any second, are you _trying_ to get a tardy?"

His friend sent him a bright smile. "Only if you are."

Being unable to resist, Ulrich smiled back and shook his head. He was amused to see, that even with the other boy's attempts to rock back and forth on his tip toes, he was still a good couple of inches taller than him.

"Get in class," Ulrich told him, jerking his thumb toward the door.

Odd stayed where he was. "Oh no, after you I insist Sir Ulrich." He ended a dramatic sweeping motion with his hands in an equally dramatic bow. "Your _entourage_ awaits."

Ulrich looked from his friend to the door with a frown. Again, he had almost forgotten. "Oh joy," he muttered. And with a long sigh, he pushed the door open.

-

**~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~**

_**L**ike moths to a flame, they came from every side._

Of course Ms. Hertz yelled for everybody to get back in their seats, like she always did. And of course no one listened, like they always didn't.

You'd think the lady would learn. Can you really blame kids for ignoring to you, when you yell the exact same things every morning. Every morning Ulrich came in that is.

And then when Ulrich finally makes everyone sit down by taking (_a.k.a. fighting his way to_) a seat, she spends the rest of class glaring at him. Like it's his fault he gets mobbed by all the populars when they see him.

Odd leaned back in his desk, doodling on his paper and happy once again to be who he was.

It didn't bother him not to be a popular. And it didn't bother him not being a complete reject either. He liked it just where he was on the food chain:

_Ulrich the Most Popular Boy in School's New Roommate _and the official class clown.

What in life could be better?

Everyone's head in class suddenly jerked up as a boy burst in the room. Then everyone looked down again.

It was only Jeremie Belpois.

He handed a note to the teacher, who smiled and said she understood why he was late (_like she wouldn't let him off for being late even if she didn't understand_) and that marked the end of any possible excitement Ms. Hertz's Science class could have for the day.

The rest of first period passed just boringly as it usually did and finally the bell rang, releasing them for much more interesting and superior class:

ART!

As Ulrich got up from his seat, fifteen populars rose in one throng.

Odd would wait til gym to try and talk to him. Rosa, the school's cook, had only allowed Odd three extra helpings of breakfast that morning and he really didn't feel like fighting his way through to his friend on an empty stomach. Not until after he had some lunch that is.

As Ulrich moved out of the room, the throng moved with him, letting Ulrich out in front and taking its place behind as his permanent shadow for rest of the day.

Odd smiled to himself.

He hated to pick up lines from his best bud's sworn enemy, but "_the Samurai, and his entourage_" actually seemed to fit the scene rather well.

Very well in fact. Almost perfectly.

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**Daeth101: **Awesome! Is there more?! Please tell me there is more! Awesome job! -D101

_~Wow, thanks for a great first review! Yes there's more, though it may be slow coming. I only hope I can make the rest turn out interesting enough for you to want to read it._

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**Ocelot014: **This ranks up there by far as one of the most interesting interpretations on the Code: Lyoko series as I've ever seen. I must say, I really like it. I'd

like to see what else you have in store for us.

I, for one, want to see more, and I will review the more I see.

Good work. Now show me what you can do.

Ocelot out.

_~An interesting interpretation on Code Lyoko? I'm glad you think so! I know it kind of surprised me when thought of the idea for this story, as I hope it will continue to surprise you with all the ways the real Code Lyoko is going to be incorporate in here._

_You haven't seen the half of it yet._

_It's the second in a series of stories I like to call "Code Lyoko, Gone Askew". _

_Who knows, maybe I'll put the other story up here one day._

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**The Mad shoe1: **Ok, this fic now has my undivided attention, not only is it mainly a Jeremie fic, bit it also has a great story and plot so far.

I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

_~I'm very glad you liked the beginning : )! I hope I don't disappoint you. It's true the story centers around Jeremie and what he's doing, but all the character are going to be featured too. As a rule I always work all character in the group into my stories. I think they just turn out better that way._

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**Lyoko Guardian: **All right you have my attention. This is one of the most interesting stories I have seen for Code Lyoko...and it's only the first chapter! I hope you are going to keep going with the story! =)

_~Wow, I'm flattered :D _

_I will keep up with this story the best I can. Chapters may be a bit slow coming though, for different personal reasons. But I promise never to let my stories sit for a year or two before I start working on them again. -I know how annoying that can be (:_

_I really have a new respect for people that update every week though. Lands! It's hard to get new chapters out! _


	3. Overview

**(I am truly sorry, but do to some circumstances that have recently come up in my life, I will not be able to finish this story for you now. But I didn't want to leave anyone who was actually interested in this story hanging, so I've left you with an overview.**

**The FIRST SECTION is just something I wrote on the back of a piece of paper when I was coming up with the storyline. -_I write very small_- Of course the story would of changed a bit, but this is a basic idea about what it would of covered.**

**The SECOND SECTION is telling who Aelita is and how she fits into everything.**

**And the THIRD SECTION is just some quotes and scenes I liked from the story.**

**Unless your really interested, the FIRST SECTION may seem a little confusing or boring. And I think the SECOND SECTION is just bizarrely insane since I'm the one who came up with it. But if you can make it through the first two sections, the THIRD SECTION will probably make a lot more sense. **

**If circumstances change in my life and I am able to post another story for you, I promise never to do this kind of thing to you again. **

**Goodbye for now, Meg :)**

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(FIRST SECTION):

Everyone knows each other but moves in different social circles.

Ulrich is one of the most popular boys in school along with Odd. Jeremie really has no friends and is a nerd.

Jeremie tutors or has tutored Ulrich before and comes to him with a problem. Ulrich tries to be nice and fair to everyone.

Jeremie accidentally connected to this file and found Aelita who thinks she is some sort of helper for running the computer. Jeremie soon suspects she is more (_there's this battle of computer wits between them - Aelita trying to hide and Jeremie hacking and unlocking firewalls to find her_).

Yumi is a grade ahead and a bit of a loner too. Not in the rejects, but in a mysterious kind of way.

Her and Ulrich have some kind of connection, though you're not really sure how. Their social circles don't cross either, but Ulrich is clearly a little sensitive about her. But really it's just one of those ridiculously complicated things that only Ulrich and Yumi would get caught up in. You get kind of confused yourself.

Ulrich at first seems touchy around her as a subject and kind of gives you the impression of an admirer from afar. But when the two are together they seem almost cold and hostile (_Like what in the world did you two do, to get so incensed at each other?_).

It seems common knowledge at school that the two can't stand each other. Only Jeremie seems to know better (_often smiling and rolling his eyes at their tiffs_).

Odd, though he doesn't seem to know as much as Jeremie, too senses there is a little something more than meets the eyes. Everyone commonly assumes that they had some awful fight over something or other and are both just too stubborn to make amends.

In reality, Ulrich always admired Yumi. Ever since she first came to school.

Ulrich always seems to take an interest in people and noticed Yumi all the way across the courtyard when she first walked in the school gates. But their paths never really crossed (_again, different social circles_) until one day Yumi drops her books and Ulrich stops to pick them up. Caught off guard that the most popular boy in school would stop to help her, she starts to notice him.

Ulrich admired how bold Yumi is -wishes he could be like that (_Everyone kind of already thinks he is because he's so popular. He does everything __**so**__ perfectly. . . Halfway the reasoning behind Jer asking him for help_). Also he's intrigued by her mystery and independence. When he does something he always seems to have a posse.

Yumi intern notices how good and kind Ulrich is to everyone.

After the two notice each other, they just start. . . _happening_ to run into each other when no one else is around. And form this kind of sibilance of secret friendship.

The only reason Jeremie knew about this, is because Yumi accidentally stopped by Ulrich's room to return something when Jeremie was tutoring him. There was no mistaking the way they looked at each other.

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"Hey Ulrich I just wanted to return your book- . . . That um, fell from your bag. I uh -found it, in the hall. Has your name in it..."

(_After she leaves_) Jeremie just shook his head. It was none of his business.

"So in this line of numbers, the solution comes where?"

"Huh? Oh sorry Jeremie, what'd you say?"

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Well one day in the future, Ulrich and Yumi end up kissing. And of course they can't be like normal people and say: "We're together now!" They didn't know how to react.

Ulrich waited for Yumi to say something about it and Yumi vise versa. When neither say anything Yumi takes it as a 'this didn't mean anything to you like it did to me.' The message was clear: _We're in different social circles and always will be_.

Ulrich took is as a sign she didn't like and him and regretted the kiss (_he blames himself for the kiss, which works because she blames him 4 it too_). A suspicion completely confirmed by Yumi walking suddenly up to him and declaring: "It was a mistake ok, I get that."

Trying to counteract their real feelings, both get in the habit of biting and being cool to each other whenever their together. They don't even fully comprehend this. They don't want to get close.

Jeremie trusts Ulrich and asks him for help. Odd, being the roommate, kind of stumbles in (doesn't need and explanation, just sort of says "cool" and moves on).

When Aelita accidentally get's materialized (_Odd dropping candy on Jeremie's keyboard - Them arguing about it- Ulrich on bed sees flash of light behind them: "Uh guys…"_) they realize they need the help of a girl. -Dun, duh, duh YUMI!

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(SECOND SECTION): _**Sorry, there are some holes in here I didn't have time to fill in, but I think you can get the general idea.**_

Basically, Aelita was part of a secret project of this very prestigious corporation called Lyoko.

Using her as a guinea pig, they experimented on making the young girl's physical form into a virtual one.

In a breakthrough, they managed to virtualize and locked her up in _Carthridge_, a site they designed to store her digital makeup.

Since Aelita was originally human, the code that made her up was innumerable and so complex that the company had to developed a series of towers in Carthridge to organize and help support her digital presence there.

Carthridge was an internet based site and they had one computer that had the file to access it. That file was _Carthridge Towers_.

(_Later, Jeremie has to connect to Carthridge Towers when he wants to talk to Aelita in Carthridge._)

But the company's research was far from ethical and, in fear of discovery, Lyoko terminated the project after 11 years and deleted the _Carthridge Towers'_ file. This in effect, shut down Carthridge and Aelita with it.

They told themselves they weren't really killing her, just putting her in stasis. Since they didn't completely remove the file from the computer, it was technically possible to bring her back to life. In reality, they'd taken her life from her and shut her down to rot.

(_Though she has amnesia when Jeremie first wakes her up, Aelita holds all of the information concerning Lyoko's secretive work and would be a real threat to them if she remembered it.) _

In case of an inspection, to be safe they needed to get rid of the computer holding the deleted file in it. So they decided to modify and sell the computer, right along with the new line of computers they were just releasing.

Who else could her file be more safe with then the general public? No one could possibly find Aelita they reasoned. _Carthridge Towers _was deleted, encrypted, had a copy of Aelita guarding it, and then of course there was Xana.

In case all else failed, Xana was created to activate upon Aelita's activation, and was a virus with the sole purpose of destroying her.

Of all the clueless hands of the general public the computer could of fallen into, it fell into Jeremie's instead. After he does the impossible of activating Aelita, it isn't long before she discovers Xana.

Aelita also finds that the towers in Carthridge are hard for Xana to access. So she begins to try and hide in them. Unfortunately she is too large digitally to stay any one tower for long and has to constantly move from tower to tower. This is dangerous since Xana can try to trap and catch her in-between towers when she's out in the open of Carthridge.

When Jeremie realizes all this, he immediately begins working on building her a set of towers in his Lyoko computer, so he can transfer her out of Carthridge and into his computer where she will be safer. His set of towers are (_of course_) called Lyoko towers.

"We have to get Aelita to the _Lyoko Towers _where she'll be safe."

Once she's in Jeremie's computer, they think they have left Xana behind.

(_Jeremie wanted to delete 'Carthridge Towers' to destroy Xana for good, but is afraid part of Aelita is still connected to Carthridge and fears he may destroy her as well. So he just sets up locks to keep Xana where he is._)

But every once in a while Xana breaks through and becomes active in Jeremie's computer using one of the very tower Jeremie created as a connection. When he does this it bugs up Aelita's systems. If Aelita get's to the tower Xana activated, she can enter the Code: Lyoko to sever his connection to the computer and send him back to Carthridge. Then Jeremie can reset the system, putting a lock back on Carthridge for Xana to try breaking through again.

Jeremie wants to preserve Aelita until she can remember her past and set things right.

Aelita has trouble getting to towers when Xana bugs up her system, so it's necessary to type in code to free her system up. But at the same time Xana is behind her and needs to have firewalls set up to slow him down.

Jeremie can't do both at the same time and so realizes he need help. He enlists Ulrich to try and type in the code for Aelita on his laptop and then Odd wonders where his roommate is getting to and sort of stumbles in on everything. Which is good because Ulrich really isn't fast enough.

When Odd accidentally drops candy on Jeremie's keyboard one day, he triggers a program to materialize Aelita. While Jeremie is arguing with Odd about the candy, Ulrich watches Aelita materialize right in the middle of the room.

Jeremie didn't even know that materializing Aelita was possible! But now that there's a passed out girl on his dorm floor, he and the rest of the group realize they're going to need a girl's help. So Jeremie sends Ulrich off to recruit Yumi :D.

Yumi joins the group and of course helps, but Aelita's materialization turns out to be only temporary and after a day she fades back into the computer.

Now that Jeremie knows materialization is possible, he starts working to find the program again. If he can get Aelita out of the computer permanently, he can shut down his computer and trap Xana for good.

Shortly after Yumi joins, the group finds this abandoned house in the woods called the Hermitage. Odd starts (_and everyone else soon starts joining in_) calling the house a factory, because it ends up looking like a computer factory.

It's a good place for them to work without worrying about being caught, so Jeremie builds and set's up three extra laptops there, and puts them on a network with his computer back at school.

So when Xana attacks, everyone runs to 'the factory' where the computers are. Jeremie has set them all up with ID's so that only they can enter the network and so Aelita can recognize their digital presence. -They go, scan their ID's into their computer and type in code that Jeremie has provided to free up the bugging so Aelita can get to the tower Xana has activated.

Jeremie stays with the group to help them guide Aelita to the right tower and puts up the firewalls to slow down Xana. So with Jeremie's putting up walls for Xana, the group is taking the walls Aelita's bugging causes down, and everything just sort of works out.

Every time they help Aelita it's a risk though. Xana's virus programming has become faulty, it has mutated and evolved. Xana doesn't just want to destroy Aelita, it wants to escape and destroy all the computer systems across the world. They can't fail, they have to make sure Xana is sent back to Carthridge.

And if Aelita could be taken from the computer and put in the real world, who's to say it's impossible for Xana.

Can you imagine a virus built to decay and wipe out systems, released on the real world?

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(THIRD SECTION): _**Bit and pieces of scenes. . .**_

**-**"Are you sure you haven't been near that drink machine again, cause I think this time it's fried your brains?"**-**

**-**"When I was trying to access Maya's file I think I woke it up. Some sort of dormant program, a virus. Built to completely wipe out Maya's programming."**-**

She had a cautious look in her eyes that reminded Ulrich very much of a lost and wondering deer.

"And why couldn't you go to Yumi with all this?"

Jeremie avoided his eyes. "Well you know how Yumi can be. . . If she found out it was dangerous she'd want-"

"To shut it down," Ulrich finished. (_Quiet a minute) _"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news Jeremie, but I'd have to agree with her. If it's going to harm people we need to shut it down. Too bad for Maya, but still, it's not like she's human."

"But that's just it, I think she is."

"Is what?"

"Human!"

Stunned, Ulrich leaned back. He wasn't quite sure how he should respond to this. Very, very carefully he imagined.

"Jeremie…"

_I see you've developed certain feeli- That is, I know how you might think Maya seems real. . . _

What should he say? What could he possibly say? What would be the right thing to say? How he wished Yumi was there now.

But Jeremie saved him the trouble of making up his mind by interrupting. "I know what you're thinking. That she's just a cleverly designed A.I. that's confused its protocol, but it just doesn't add up." Jeremie tried to think of the simplest way he could put this. "Listen, in order for there to be an A.I. there has be a massive system of digital grouping code to promote a reasonably convincing phycy. Her code is not just massive, it's grouped innumerably. It's unbelievably complex. Just one of her emotion strands would take a decade to write."

. . .

"Questions?"

"Yah, just one. . . What's an A.I.?"

Jeremie sighed, it was going to a long night.

There wasn't much they could do but tell him.

Jeremie started, with Ulrich trying to translate, and they both managed to get the story out. Much to there surprise, Odd didn't register any shock or surprise at all over what he was hearing. He merely waited patiently until they were done and leaned back to collapse on his bed.

"Cool," he said.

"Well, who died and made you princess of Lyoko Inc?"

If Aelita had been in the real world she probably would of blushed at the comment. "No one, I just. . . I'm just saying it's not a good idea to tamper with Lyoko's software."

"We could ask another friend of yours. . . A certain black-clad, mysterious one?"

Jeremie bit severely on his tongue as Ulrich sent him a warning look, but not, before Odd caught on.

"You mean Yumi?" he asked. Odd stood there a moment then let out a hard laugh.

Ulrich and Jeremie sighed.

. . .

"She can't even stand him!"

Ulrich smiled back, but it was strained and lack a certain genuineness that Odd failed to grasp.

Jeremie sighed; _it was none of his business. _

"Right," he affirmed.

_It was none of his business. _

"I don't know what I was thinking."

"I told you not to touch anything and now look what you've done!"

"What? I didn't _**do**_anything. The candy just slipped and-"

"And fell on the keyboard. These key are very sensitive, I have no idea the type of erro-"

"Uh, guys. . ." Ulrich started behind them.

"Relax genius, your precious computer's fine."

"And that's _my_ candy!"

The glow was intensifying.

"Guys!" Ulrich yelled.

Finally they turned and Ulrich pointed. "Look."

"Alright fine, I'll do it." He let out a deep sigh. "But I'm going to need a distraction. . ." His gaze flickered to his roommate. "Odd?"

"Right behind you, buddy."

. . .

As they approach the hoard of populars Odd lost no time.

"Ahhh!" he cried, grabbing at his chest and collapsing to the ground.

As Ulrich slowly started to back away, one of the girl's eyes began to follow him and Odd groaned louder.

"Oh the pain! THE MISERY!!"

"What?!" they all cried.

"The mashed. . . Po-tatoes . . . There-there coming.."

Ulrich didn't stick around to hear the end of this, Odd wouldn't be able to hold there attention much longer. He turned and took off in a dead run. It was noon which meant Yumi would be. . .

"My ID picture is a samurai?"

"Well yah, Yumi helped me pick it out. Is something wrong?"

"Oh well, I guess we can always wait until Yumi get's here." Jeremie raised his eyes from his work as Odd grew silent. He mentally reviewed his reasoning again to see if he had missed anything, but no, that still seemed the logical conclusion.

"Oh right," said Odd sarcastically. "She'll just walk right over to the popular table when she get's here and ask him."

_Ahh. . . _

Jeremie began to understand where Odd might have been seeing a gap in his logic.

_Ask? Had he said anything about asking?_

. . .

He didn't look at Ulrich though. He studied the black-haired girl that was sitting next to him. They way her dramatically lined eyes never left his face, how her slightly agape lips hung on every word he said. And at that moment when she laughed hysterically at something Ulrich whispered, he noted how she smoothly ended the gesture by laying a slender hand on his arm.

A very rare and very impish grin slowly made it's way across Jeremie's face. The conveniently upraised screen of his laptop, hid nicely as he turned back.

"Yah," he told Odd. "I doubt she'll notice _at all_."

. . .

Yumi's didn't even bother to sit down, but her bag slammed as it hit the table.

"What kind of game does he think he's playing? We have a group meeting today, why is he sitting over there?!" She demanded.

. . .

He didn't acknowledge her for the longest moment and Yumi felt her annoyance start to grow.

_One. . . Two. . ._

Gradually he lifted his eyes from the table to face her. Then slowly, deliberately, raised an inquiring brow.

"Can I . . _help_ you?

And two was as close to the number of ten as she got.

"We have a job to do, can't you guys just kiss and make up already?"

Ok, even Jeremie had to admit that was a poor choice of words.

"Oh, because you always do the right thing, right?"

Frustrated Ulrich turned to face her. "I try!"

"Are you sure this is a good idea," Odd said, glancing over his shoulder.

"Trust me, they're better off without us."

. . .

Their retreating footsteps echoed dully back at them and then were gone.

Ulrich raised his eyes to look at Yumi. She avoided them.

Now what?

Her eyes lit up for a moment at that, then once again the wall was brought up in his face.

She rolled her large brown eyes and turned away.

He guessed that meant he wouldn't be getting it back any time soon.

(_He starts off softly_)

"Listen, I'm sorr-"

(_Then he changes his mind_)

"You know what, forget it! I'm tired apologizing to you. **All** I _do_ it apologies to you. I'm not sorry, I'm not sorry at all! And you know, maybe we shouldn't be friends again. Maybe you shouldn't ever forgive me. Because if I could go back. . . I'd ki- I'd kiss again."

Odd eyed the group with a smile. "Wow, the reject, the popular, the loner, the clown, and the girl in the computer, who would of thought it?"

Well, if Aelita was trapped in a computer, imagine how other people could be. Think about it, it's possible that all of us could travel through digital worlds of information."

"Yah," his friends sighed.

Honestly they didn't want to think about it.

"Eleven years of my life, gone."

"I know." Jeremie patted her hand soothingly. "But at this moment you're free. We may not be able to return to the past now, but we can move on to the future."

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**(And that's it. **

**I liked coming up with this story, because I loved being able to incorporate so much of the original Code Lyoko. Also I love the idea of different people from different backgrounds coming together for one cause, which kind of was a theme of the original show.**

**For all the different things that come up in the story, I have to say my favorite part is this chapter where a popular trips Jeremie in class and Ulrich offers him a hand up. Ulrich glares the other popular down and, in front of everyone, him and Jeremie turn and walk together out of class. **

**I love it because it is the turning point. From that moment on, Jeremie is no longer just this kid Ulrich is helping with a problem, he's his friend. And now that Jeremie has Ulrich's backing, no one will ever mess with him again.)**


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